Countdown to regular season

Published: Sunday, September 1, 2013 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, September 1, 2013 at 1:32 a.m.

Training camp and preseason is finally over, and we are now in the "Go" position for the regular season.

After watching what has happened in the past under Sean Payton, I am convinced the New Orleans Saints will edge out the Atlanta Falcons for the NFC South Division title this season.

Both teams are literally carbon-copies of one another, but I think the way the Saints have favorably matched up against the Falcons under Payton in those head-to-head contests is an advantage. The Saints still have one of the elite offenses in the NFL, especially in throwing the ball, and with a much improved defensive front, I think they will claim the division title.

But for the Saints to advance deep into the playoffs, they must be able to develop a solid rushing game offensively, generate a consistent pass rush and create turnovers on defense and keep quarterback Drew Brees healthy for 16 games.

And believe me, Drew Brees is still one of the top five players in the NFL today.

Here are just a few observations from the offseason and the preseason.

RUSH THE BALL BETTER

For the New Orleans Saints to get back to heady days of 2009 and that 13-win regular season of 2011, the offense must get better running the football. The 2009 offensive line with Carl Nicks, Jermon Bushrod and Jonathan Goodwin in it was a better line than the one they feature in 2013.

But if there is a rushing total figure that is important it is 122 rushing yards.

That doesn't seem like much, but under Payton, when the Saints have rushed for 122 yards or more in a game, they have gone 26-1.

The only loss during that span from 2006-2011 was when they rushed for over 122 yards was the 2009 game in the Superdome against Tampa Bay. The Saints rushed for 124 yards in the overtime loss to the Buccaneers and it was their only loss when they hit the 122 yards mark or over rushing the ball.

MUCH IMPROVED ALONG THE DEFENSIVE LINE

There was guarded optimism when the training camp sessions started that the Saints defensive line in 2013 would turn out to be a good unit. It has exceeded expectations.

Defensive end Cameron Jordan looks like an All-Pro defensive end with the capability to post double digits in sacks in 2013 and he was already known to be very stout in run defense.

Defensive end Akiem Hicks has made great strides as a technician and he has flashed some dominant moments at both end and tackle in training camp and also in preseason games.

Nose guard Brodrick Bunkley is solid in the middle anchoring the inside, but rookie John Jenkins has really looked impressive. Not only does the 350 pounder play the run well, but he is also very good at getting pressure inside on the quarterback on passing plays and that is something Bunkley can't do well.

But the real surprise was the addition of rookie Glenn Foster and the development of Tyrunn Walker. Foster has been the biggest surprise on the defensive side of the ball from the 2013 draft/rookie free agents and his explosive nature off the snap is very impressive. He was a player known for his run defense skills, but his pass rush skills and potential really are eye-catching.

The same can be said for the former Tulsa standout in Walker. He is a more stout player in run defense than Foster, but his work with defensive line coach Bill Johnson really has shown up in his ability to get pressure from the inside. The switch to the 3-4 alignment really has enhanced his overall skills and he seems a natural for this defense and in many ways looks like a sleeker version of veteran defensive lineman Kenyon Coleman.

THE KENNY'S PLAY LIKE

VETERANS

Sometimes when rookies come into NFL, entering another level of football is intimidating and overwhelming to them.

That is not the case with rookie safety Kenny Vaccaro and wide receiver Kenny Stills.

Vaccaro is a physical player, tough in run defense, he will run the alley and level the ballcarrier and he has shown good one-on-one cover skills. He is no ballhawk and he does not play the ball in flight like an Ed Reed, Earl Thomas or Jairus Byrd would, but he does do a good job in the coverage part of the game.

I have compared him to former LSU standout and current Indianapolis Colts All-Pro safety LaRon Landry when he came out of college. Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan compares Vaccaro to a young Rodney Harrison. Either way he is an impact player on a team desperate to upgrade talent on the defensive side of the ball.

It has been rare for me to have a safety rated in my Top 20 going into an April draft, and Vaccaro was rated as the 19th best player in this draft class. He has been everything billed, and watch if Rob Ryan doesn't use him a lot in blitz situations coming off the edge.

Stills was a football legacy player. His dad, Kenny, played safety for the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings. His uncle, Gary, was an excellent linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs.

It was apparent early on the NFL was not too big for him.

After catching 204 passes for 2,594 yards and 24 touchdowns at Oklahoma, the adjustment to college football was almost seamless for Stills.

Stills has quickly adjusted to being the No. 3 receiver, a spot that Joe Morgan had before he suffered a season-ending knee injury. After a rough start against the Kansas City Chiefs, Stills has shown the poise, the quickness, pull-a-way skills and a smooth route-running style that has put him into a spot to be a very effective and productive receiver as a rookie.

SPECIAL TEAMS WOES

The lack of a strong running game has been evident in training camp, but the Saints play on special teams has raised more than a few eyebrows. It has been erratic at best and this team has given up more than just one big return.

Punter/Kickoff artist Thomas Morstead is one of, if not the best, in the business, but this team really has struggled covering punts and kickoffs. To be honest, over the last couple of years, Courtney Roby has been the team's second-best special teams performer.

This unit has heavy turnover each season and this is a commuter league, but this team needs to find some more playmakers in this part of the game or it will cost them plenty in closely contested games.

I think everyone figured that the team had question marks at the outside linebacker position when training camp opened and the season-ending injuries to Victor Butler and Will Smith hurt this unit, along with injuries to Martez Wilson and Junior Galette, but the play of the special teams and who becomes the playmakers on those units right now are a cause of worry for Saints fans.

Releasing Roby, along with Jerico Nelson and Korey Kindsey, who Saints special teams coach Greg McMahon had praised for their talents, gives this unit more question marks as answers.

A FACT FALCONS FANS DON'T WANT TO SEE

There are some teams and coaches that match up better than others against certain teams. One thing is a certainty.

When a Payton-coached Saints team has gone up against the Atlanta Falcons, he has dominated when it comes down to posting wins against a longtime division rival.

Payton has posted a 10-2 win/loss mark against the Falcons from 2006-2011, and he has posted a 5-1 win/loss mark in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Payton's only home loss to the Falcons was a 27-24 overtime loss in 2010.

COVER THE TIGHT END ... PLEASE?

One offseason sports news item that caught the eyes of the "Who Dat Nation" was when tight end Tony Gonzalez, who had announced that the 2012 season would be his last, changed his mind and returned to the Falcons for another season.

In the last four games against the Saints, the future NFL Hall of Fame tight end has caught 26 passes for 292 yards and four touchdowns.

Last season, Gonzalez caught 15 passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns.

You can bet that aspect of matching up against a tight end with the skillset of Gonzalez was in the back of Payton's mind when the Saints selected Vaccaro in the first-round of April's draft.

What is surprising is that the Saints defense has had problems guarding Gonzalez, but they have done a solid job covering Julio Jones and Roddy White.

Matter of fact the Saints secondary has just given up one touchdown pass to either Jones or White over the past four games.

Jones has caught 19 passes for 260 yards and one touchdown against the Saints over the past four games, and White has caught 23 passes for 323 yards and zero touchdowns over the past 2 seasons.

Something to keep in mind is that the Falcons haven't done a good job covering Saints tight end Jimmy Graham either. Graham has caught 23 passes for 255 yards and three scores, and wide receiver Marques Colston has caught 25 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns against the Falcons over the last four games.

<p>Training camp and preseason is finally over, and we are now in the "Go" position for the regular season.</p><p>After watching what has happened in the past under Sean Payton, I am convinced the New Orleans Saints will edge out the Atlanta Falcons for the NFC South Division title this season.</p><p>Both teams are literally carbon-copies of one another, but I think the way the Saints have favorably matched up against the Falcons under Payton in those head-to-head contests is an advantage. The Saints still have one of the elite offenses in the NFL, especially in throwing the ball, and with a much improved defensive front, I think they will claim the division title. </p><p>But for the Saints to advance deep into the playoffs, they must be able to develop a solid rushing game offensively, generate a consistent pass rush and create turnovers on defense and keep quarterback Drew Brees healthy for 16 games.</p><p>And believe me, Drew Brees is still one of the top five players in the NFL today.</p><p>Here are just a few observations from the offseason and the preseason.</p><p>RUSH THE BALL BETTER</p><p>For the New Orleans Saints to get back to heady days of 2009 and that 13-win regular season of 2011, the offense must get better running the football. The 2009 offensive line with Carl Nicks, Jermon Bushrod and Jonathan Goodwin in it was a better line than the one they feature in 2013.</p><p>But if there is a rushing total figure that is important it is 122 rushing yards.</p><p>That doesn't seem like much, but under Payton, when the Saints have rushed for 122 yards or more in a game, they have gone 26-1.</p><p>The only loss during that span from 2006-2011 was when they rushed for over 122 yards was the 2009 game in the Superdome against Tampa Bay. The Saints rushed for 124 yards in the overtime loss to the Buccaneers and it was their only loss when they hit the 122 yards mark or over rushing the ball.</p><p>MUCH IMPROVED ALONG THE DEFENSIVE LINE</p><p>There was guarded optimism when the training camp sessions started that the Saints defensive line in 2013 would turn out to be a good unit. It has exceeded expectations.</p><p>Defensive end Cameron Jordan looks like an All-Pro defensive end with the capability to post double digits in sacks in 2013 and he was already known to be very stout in run defense.</p><p>Defensive end Akiem Hicks has made great strides as a technician and he has flashed some dominant moments at both end and tackle in training camp and also in preseason games.</p><p>Nose guard Brodrick Bunkley is solid in the middle anchoring the inside, but rookie John Jenkins has really looked impressive. Not only does the 350 pounder play the run well, but he is also very good at getting pressure inside on the quarterback on passing plays and that is something Bunkley can't do well.</p><p>But the real surprise was the addition of rookie Glenn Foster and the development of Tyrunn Walker. Foster has been the biggest surprise on the defensive side of the ball from the 2013 draft/rookie free agents and his explosive nature off the snap is very impressive. He was a player known for his run defense skills, but his pass rush skills and potential really are eye-catching.</p><p>The same can be said for the former Tulsa standout in Walker. He is a more stout player in run defense than Foster, but his work with defensive line coach Bill Johnson really has shown up in his ability to get pressure from the inside. The switch to the 3-4 alignment really has enhanced his overall skills and he seems a natural for this defense and in many ways looks like a sleeker version of veteran defensive lineman Kenyon Coleman.</p><p>THE KENNY'S PLAY LIKE </p><p>VETERANS </p><p>Sometimes when rookies come into NFL, entering another level of football is intimidating and overwhelming to them.</p><p>That is not the case with rookie safety Kenny Vaccaro and wide receiver Kenny Stills.</p><p>Vaccaro is a physical player, tough in run defense, he will run the alley and level the ballcarrier and he has shown good one-on-one cover skills. He is no ballhawk and he does not play the ball in flight like an Ed Reed, Earl Thomas or Jairus Byrd would, but he does do a good job in the coverage part of the game.</p><p>I have compared him to former LSU standout and current Indianapolis Colts All-Pro safety LaRon Landry when he came out of college. Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan compares Vaccaro to a young Rodney Harrison. Either way he is an impact player on a team desperate to upgrade talent on the defensive side of the ball.</p><p>It has been rare for me to have a safety rated in my Top 20 going into an April draft, and Vaccaro was rated as the 19th best player in this draft class. He has been everything billed, and watch if Rob Ryan doesn't use him a lot in blitz situations coming off the edge.</p><p>Stills was a football legacy player. His dad, Kenny, played safety for the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings. His uncle, Gary, was an excellent linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs.</p><p>It was apparent early on the NFL was not too big for him.</p><p>After catching 204 passes for 2,594 yards and 24 touchdowns at Oklahoma, the adjustment to college football was almost seamless for Stills.</p><p>Stills has quickly adjusted to being the No. 3 receiver, a spot that Joe Morgan had before he suffered a season-ending knee injury. After a rough start against the Kansas City Chiefs, Stills has shown the poise, the quickness, pull-a-way skills and a smooth route-running style that has put him into a spot to be a very effective and productive receiver as a rookie.</p><p>SPECIAL TEAMS WOES </p><p>The lack of a strong running game has been evident in training camp, but the Saints play on special teams has raised more than a few eyebrows. It has been erratic at best and this team has given up more than just one big return.</p><p>Punter/Kickoff artist Thomas Morstead is one of, if not the best, in the business, but this team really has struggled covering punts and kickoffs. To be honest, over the last couple of years, Courtney Roby has been the team's second-best special teams performer.</p><p>This unit has heavy turnover each season and this is a commuter league, but this team needs to find some more playmakers in this part of the game or it will cost them plenty in closely contested games. </p><p>I think everyone figured that the team had question marks at the outside linebacker position when training camp opened and the season-ending injuries to Victor Butler and Will Smith hurt this unit, along with injuries to Martez Wilson and Junior Galette, but the play of the special teams and who becomes the playmakers on those units right now are a cause of worry for Saints fans.</p><p>Releasing Roby, along with Jerico Nelson and Korey Kindsey, who Saints special teams coach Greg McMahon had praised for their talents, gives this unit more question marks as answers. </p><p>A FACT FALCONS FANS DON'T WANT TO SEE</p><p>There are some teams and coaches that match up better than others against certain teams. One thing is a certainty. </p><p>When a Payton-coached Saints team has gone up against the Atlanta Falcons, he has dominated when it comes down to posting wins against a longtime division rival.</p><p>Payton has posted a 10-2 win/loss mark against the Falcons from 2006-2011, and he has posted a 5-1 win/loss mark in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.</p><p>Payton's only home loss to the Falcons was a 27-24 overtime loss in 2010.</p><p>COVER THE TIGHT END ... PLEASE?</p><p>One offseason sports news item that caught the eyes of the "Who Dat Nation" was when tight end Tony Gonzalez, who had announced that the 2012 season would be his last, changed his mind and returned to the Falcons for another season.</p><p>In the last four games against the Saints, the future NFL Hall of Fame tight end has caught 26 passes for 292 yards and four touchdowns.</p><p>Last season, Gonzalez caught 15 passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns. </p><p>You can bet that aspect of matching up against a tight end with the skillset of Gonzalez was in the back of Payton's mind when the Saints selected Vaccaro in the first-round of April's draft.</p><p>What is surprising is that the Saints defense has had problems guarding Gonzalez, but they have done a solid job covering Julio Jones and Roddy White.</p><p>Matter of fact the Saints secondary has just given up one touchdown pass to either Jones or White over the past four games.</p><p>Jones has caught 19 passes for 260 yards and one touchdown against the Saints over the past four games, and White has caught 23 passes for 323 yards and zero touchdowns over the past 2 seasons.</p><p>Something to keep in mind is that the Falcons haven't done a good job covering Saints tight end Jimmy Graham either. Graham has caught 23 passes for 255 yards and three scores, and wide receiver Marques Colston has caught 25 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns against the Falcons over the last four games.</p><p>NFL analyst Mike Detillier is based in Raceland.</p>